Fence-post brace.



J. HEYERLY.

FENCE POST BEACH. P11011101 rum) 1111114, 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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J. HEYERLY.

FENCE POST BEACH.

APPLICATION FILED mu 4, 1910.

999,786. Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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JOHN HEYERLY, OF NEAR BLUFFTON, INDIANA.

FENCE-POST BRACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Application filed. May 4, 1910. Serial No. 559,410.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HEYERLY, a citizen of the United States,residing near Bluffton, in the county of Wells and State -of Indiana,have invented new and useful Improvements in Fence-Post Braces, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in anchorages and braces for fenceposts and its object is to provide a simple, cheap and efficient meansfor anchoring a post either at a corner or between the corners, the posthaving its entire length above the ground.

My invention consists in the novel combination, construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claimsand illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of apost provided with my anchoring device; Fig. 2, a plan view of the samewith modified form of brace; Figs. 3 and 4, elevational and plan viewsrespectively of the plate; Fig. 5, a plan of a corner post provided withmy anchorage; Fig. 6, an elevation of the same with a modified form ofbrace; Figs. 7 and 8, elevational and plan views respectively of the tieplate shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and Fig. 9, a plan of a tool for adjustingthe brace of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings I make use of any post 10, which may be of anysuitable material and have any desirable form. This post is not insertedinto the ground, but its lower end rests thereon, or close thereto. Nearthe lower extremity and on the side of the post facing the direction ofpull of the wires 11 I secure by bolt 12 tie plate or member 13. Thistie plate or member is provided on one of its surfaces with a recess 11which corresponds to the form and size of the post and into which thepost fits. Plate 13 extends inwardly beyond the inside edge of the postand the extended portion is provided with an opening 15 which isarranged at approximately an angle of 45 to the perpendicular. Throughthis opening passes a rod 16, which extends downwardly into the groundin a direction opposite to the direction of the fence wires. The lowerend of rod 16 is provided with a ring 17 to which are coupled two rods18 which project downwardly at the same angle into the ground, the tworods diverging away from the ring. The free end of each rod 18 carries aring 19, through which a post or bar 20 is passed to prevent thewithdrawal of rods 16 and 18 from the ground. To set these rods in placeit is only necessary to drill a hole in the ground at the proper pointand angle and to a sufficient depth to receive rod 16, then drill twomore holes from the lower end of the first named hole to receive the tworods 18. Two holes are then drilled, at any desired angle, from thesurface down to rings 19, and posts 20 are passed through those ringsand driven into the ground beneath them. By tightening up nut 21 on theupper end of rod 16 against plate 13, the rods 16 and 18 will be drawntaut. A suitable brace 22, which may be of wood or metal or constructedas shown in Fig. 6 presently to be described, is

secured as by bolt 23 to the upper portion of the post and slantsdownwardly in the direction of the fence, the lower end thereof restingon the ground or stone or post, and through the lower end is passed abolt 24 having an eye 24: on its forward end. To this eye is connected awire or rod 25, the other end of the wire or rod 25 being connected toan eye 26 formed on bolt 12, which bolt is passed through an opening 28in plate 13 and through post 10. A nut 12 on the outer end of bolt 12serves to tighten wire 25, thereby pulling the post 10 toward the lowerend of the brace against the anchorage rods 16 and 18. The post isthereby rigidly held in its upright position and the fence wires may bedrawn as tight as the user may desire without pulling over the post.

In case the post is to be placed at the end of a span of fence, as at agate, an additional brace 29 (Fig. 2) is secured to the upper portion ofthe post and slant-s downwardly to the ground at a suitable angle to thedirection of the fence, the lower end thereof being suitably anchored inthe ground.

In case a post is to be used in a corner, I use instead of plate 13 aplate 30 having, in addition to the opening 15 corresponding to opening15 in plate 13, a lateral proj ection 31 having therein a transverseopening 31 through which is passed a rod 32, the rod passing down intothe ground similarly to rod 16 and carrying a ring 33 to which arecoupled two rods similar to rods 18. A rod 34:, similar to rod 16,passes through opening 15 and extends into the ground, and it is coupledto a pair of rods 18, as above described. Both rods 32 and 34 and theirconnections are anchored to the ground by bars or posts similar to thebar or post 22. 22 of Fig. l is secured to the upper portion of the postand its lower end or a bracket 50 on which it rests is provided with anadjustable eye bolt 37, to which wire or rod 38 is connected and whichwire or rod is also connected to an eye bolt 39 which passes through anopening 40 in plate 30 and through the post, as above described. Toprevent the post from twisting when plate 30 is used I fixanother plate41 on the side of the post to which is secured a wire, or rod 42, whichis also adjustably secured to a brace 43 by eye bolt 44. This rod orwire 42 extends in a direction opposite to that of rod 32. \Vhen thiswire is drawn tight the post is securely held against twist ing by thepull of the fence wires WV.

A brace consisting of two telescoping members 45 and 46, preferablymetal pipes or tubes, each having alined holes 47 and 48 therein,respectively, may be used instead of the brace 22. When two holes 47 and48 are in register a pin 49 is passed through the same, therebyretaining the two members in a fixed relative position. The lower end ofmember 48 rests on a projection on plate 50 which rests on the ground, awire or bar 38 being secured to eye bolt 37, which passes through lug52, which lug projects upwardly on plate 50. The upper end of member 45is secured to the post. The upper end of member 46 is provided with alaterally projecting lug 53. To adjust members 45 and 46 in order tostraighten the post, it is only necessary to insert a-pin in the firstopening 47 above the upper end of member 46 and insert a bar or otherlever B, Fig. 9, under that pin,and by using lug 53 as a fulcrum elevatemember 45 sufficiently to enable the user to withdraw the A bracesimilar to brace .pin 49 so that member 45 can be further elevated bythe use of the lever until a new hole 47 registers with hole 48 when pin49 may again be inserted in the alined holes and members 45 and 46 heldin their adjusted positions. In this manner the brace may be lengthenedor shortened at will to straighten the post.

It is evident that any form of post 10 may be used, it being onlynecessary to form the plates with a surface which will more or lessclosely engage the surface of the post in order to anchor the post inthe desired position. Since the post does not enter the ground its lifeis thereby greatly lengthened.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a fence post of an anchor plate secured to oneside of the post having a recessed face adapted to receive the post, andhaving on its opposite face a longitudinally disposed rib which projectsbeyond the edge of the plate, and an opening in the projecting portionof the rib adapted to receive means for anchoring the post to theground.

2. The combination with a fence post of an anchor plate secured to oneside of the post having a recessed face adapted to receive the post andhaving on its opposite face a longitudinally disposed rib which projectsbeyond the edge of the plate, an opening in the projecting portion ofthe rib adapted to receive means for anchoring the post to the groundand a lug on the plate disposed at approximately a right angle to therib having an opening therein adapted to receive means for anchoring thepost.

In witness whereof I hereunto sign my name April, 1910.

JOHN HEYERLY. Witnesses Bnssrn E. h LiNMX, ELWIN M. Home.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

